Portable spraying device



Feb. 5, 1963 R.'H. sPRAGuE PORTABLE SPRAYING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 26, 1959 JNVENToR. ROBERT H. SPR/7611.5 BY;

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H T'IKORNEYS Feb. 5,- 1963 R. H. sPRAGUE PoR'nusLF SPRAYING DEVICE Filed May 26, 1959 BY wwnm HTToRNEYs United States Patent Clice 3,076,429 Patented Feb. 5, V19.63

3,076,429 PURTABLE SPRAYN G DEVICE Robert H. Sprague, 365 Stewart Ave., Garden City, NX. Filed May 26, 1959, Ser. No. 815,953 S Claims. (Cl. 11S- 322) Spraying of small and relatively small articles with paint, glaze or the like is now commonly performed by having an endless main conveyor at one end of which is a tank with a cleaning solution or bath and at the other end there is a baking oven. The articles to be sprayed or painted are suitably suspended on the conveyor at one span which carries the article into the cleaning bath and come out on the other span of the endless main conveyor between the cleaning tanks and the baking oven. The articles are sprayed at this span whereupon the articles pass through the baking oven and are removed at the tlrst span. So operated, paint will accumulate on the conveyo-r. Also on many spray jobs, a paint or spray `need not be baked but is air dried.

The invention herein is directed to a portable or auxiliary spraying device or mechanism which can be moved or set up adjacent to the main conveyor at the main conveyor span from the cleaning tanks and carrying the cleaned articles ready to be sprayed and is also directed -to the combination of a cleaning and bakingmechanism and at least one portable spray mechanism adjacent to the main conveyor. An operator unloads the cleaned articles from the main conveyor and loads them on carriers such as hooks carried by the portable spraying mechanism Where the articles are carried to a paint spraying station or span and brought back adjacent to the main conveyor where an operator will reload or remount them on the main conveyor for vpassage through the baking oven or if the paint is not to be baked, load them onto racks and the racks are set aside for air drying.

It is` an object of the invention to construct a portable spraying mechanism which may serve as an auxiliary to a much larger cleaning, spraying and baking machine and when not to be used can be removed.

Another object is to construct an auxiliary or portable spraying mechanism or device carried on legs which can be displaced so that the mechanism can be stored on small door space in a vertical position.

Another object is to construct an auxiliary or portable spraying mechanism which is simple in construction.

A still further object is to construct an auxiliary or portable spraying mechanism providing a very simple method of lengthening or shortening the spraying period or time.

Another object is to construct a combination of main conveyor having a cleaning tank and 'baking oven at the ends thereof and a portable spraying mechanism to be placed when used in the span of the main conveyor between tank and oven.

Other objects ot the invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof in which:

FIG. l is a partial plan view of the portable spraying mechanism;

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the mechanism at the spray ing station or span;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a spin mounting for a hanger;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of an air valve operator;

FIG 5 is a view showing spray gun mounting means', and

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view of the combina tion of a main conveyor with cleaning tank at one end and baking oven at the other with a portable spray mechanisrn in the span therebetween.

The mechanism with which the portable or auxiliary spraying mechanism is used and also forms a part of a new combination includes a cleaning tank 7 at one end of a main conveyor 8 which enters a baking oven 9 at the other end of the conveyor with a span therebetween where spraying usually is performed as the cleaned articles pass.

The auxiliary or portable spraying mechanism includes a frame 10 of any suitable construction and form, however, a frame which is triangular in form is preferable since it minimizes space at the main conveyor 8 with the apex of the frame adjacent thereto. The frame particularly illustrated is made up essentially of two triangles of angle irons secured together in spaced relation such as by straps 11. The frame carries long legs 12, one at each corner or apex of the frame so that the work may be hung on the auxiliary or portable spraying mechanism at a convenient operating level. These legs are mounted on the frame so that they may be displaced with respect thereto, and in the construction particularly illustrated, each leg is hinged to the frame -such as by a pivot pin or bolt 13 so that when the mechanism is not in use the legs may be folded adjacent to the frame and the entire mechanism stored on edge in relatively small oor space. It is clear that the legs may be displaced such as by mounting them for removal from the frame such as by removing bolts 13. With a hinged leg construction an anchor pin 14 may be inserted to hold the legs in vertical position.

VThe articles to be sprayed are hung from an endless conveyor mounted on wheels. The conveyor shown is a double chain 17 which chain is mounted upon and passes around sprockets or sprocket wheels at each corner of the frame. For a triangular frame three wheels 18, 19 and 2) are used, one being provided at each apex of the frame. The sprockets or wheels are positioned between the spaced angle irons. One of the sprocket wheels is adjustably mounted on the frame such as the sprocket 13 in order to keep the conveyor taut. The adjustment shown includes a bearing block 21 slidable in a guide `22 carried by the trame so that it may be moved or adjusted towards and away from the other sprockets or wheels. Bolts 23 received in slots 24 anchor the sprocket in adjusted position and an adjusting bolt is used to make the adjustment.

The endless chain or conveyor is driven by a suitable motor 28, carried on the frame which motor is connected with the conveyor to drive the same. The connection shown is a belt 29 from the motor to a gear reduction 3G. The gear reduction has an output shaft 27 which carries a` sprocket 31. A chain 32 connects this sprocket with a drive sprocket 33 carried on a shait 34 which mounts the sprocket or Wheel 20 on the frame. One Vor if desired both of the pulleys 35 for the drive belt 29 may be adjustable to change the speed of the endless conveyor 17.

The conveyor 17 carries a plurality of brackets 37 uniformly spaced apart any suitable distance but for most articles a six inch spacing is sufficient. This bracket carries a suspension bolt 38 on which a rotatable carrier, usually a hook 39 is mounted, the hook being secured to a spin rotator particularly shown as a spin pulley 40. The hanger or hook and rotator or pulley are freely rotatable on the bracket or suspension bolt such as by a bearing 41. The articles to be sprayed are/removed by a worker from the main conveyor passing adjacent to the frame apex or sprocket 18 and hung on a hook 39 of the portable spraying mechanism at the loading span between sprockets 18 and 19 where the article is carried to the spraying position or span between sprockets 1'9 and 20. After spraying, each article is removed from its hook 39 by a worker at unloading position or span between sprockets and 1'9. If the coating is to be baked, the worker loads it on the main conveyor for passage through the baking oven or if the coating is to be aired, it is put on an adjacent rack for air drying.

Means are provided to rotate or spin each carrier or hook and hence the article as it passes along the spraying position or span or the span of the conveyor remote vfrom the main conveyor or the base of a triangular frame. The spin means may take several forms and includes a rotator carried by the hanger and a spinning means carried by the frame. The spinning means shown includes a pair of spaced drive spin pulleys 44 and 45 carried by the frame and particularly by a plate 46 secured to the frame and forming a part thereof. The plate extends substantially the full length of the spraying span of the frame. A spin belt 47 passes around these two spaced spin pulleys and around a drive pulley 48. This drive pulley is also carried on the plate 48. The spin belt may also pass around an idler pulley 49 which may be a belt adjusting pulley. A reverse drive belt 50 is provided between a pulley 51 on the same shaft as drive pulley 48 and a pulley 52 'on the gear reduction output shaft 27 so that the spin belt moves in a direction oppositely to the movement of the endless conveyor 17. The spin means or spin belft is mounted in the same plane as the rotators or pulleys 40 of the hanger hooks and mounted in a position so that when the hanger pulleys reach the spin belt, the spin belt engages the hanger rotator or pulley 40 and rotates the same and the article to be sprayed. Preferably the speed of the spin belt is such that an article is rotated twice as it is being sprayed although the rotation may be one or more spins as it passes the spray guns. The spin belt is more effective if it moves in a reverse direction from that of the conveyor.

Means are provided to mount a one or more spray guns 54 at the spraying span, mounting means for two guns being shown. The mounting means particularly shown is a pair of spaced posts 55 and 56 secured to the frame and projecting downwardly therefrom. The spray guns are carried by gun brackets of any suitable kind so that they may be adjusted on their respective post in at least two days, the gun brackets however, are L more effective if they have a four way adjustment, rst so that the spray nozzles may be tilted in a horizontal plane or rotated on its respective post, second may be tilted angularly downwardly or angularly upwardly, third raised or lowered on its respective post, and fourth towards or away from -the articles.

The spray lguns are operated intermittently to spray an anticle as it moves in front of the gun and a simple control means automatically starts and stops the spray. This is accomplished by use of a commercial valve 60 which controls air fed to the guns. This valve has an operating lever 61 to open and close the air valve. A simple vvalve operator and timer `is provided by mounting a series of spaced operating means or studs 62 on the drive sprocket 33. Six such operating means are shown although the holes 63 will provide for six more. The operating means particularly shown (FIG. 4) includes a mounting bolt 64 having a roller bearing 65 on the end thereof and the outer race 66 engages the valve lever to operate the same. Simple pins could be used to change the length Aof time of the spray. The air valve may be adjusted for movement towards and away from the pins through the `adjusting bolt 67. lf this adjustment is not as precise as desired a cap 68 may be slipped over each operating means to increase the diameter thereof somewhat and this larger diameter holds the air valve open for a slightly longer period without adjusting the position of the valve. Caps of different diameters may be provided. This provides a simple and eicient timing means for operating each spray gun for a precise period of time to completely coat the article without excess spraying time.

The valve has an air inlet line 71 and a pair of outlet lines 72, one going to each spray gun. Most commercial spray guns have two air inlets, one inlet 75 to atomize the spray material and the second to operate a piston or the like which opens the gun or nozzle valve. A spray material inlet 76 connects with a spray material supply. The air lines 72 from the valve 60 operate the piston to open the spray gun nozzle valve.

The spray gun brackets (FIG. 5) achieve a four way adjustment by having a slide block 77 movable vertically and rotatively on the post 55 and locked in position by a set screw 78. A pivot block 79 is mounted on the slide block by a pivot bolt 80 tightening of which locks the pivot block in pivoted position. The block 79 enables tilting of the gun in a vertical plane. A gun rod 81 is received by the pivot block and it is movable therein to move the gun towards and away from the work. The guns may also be turned by turning the rod for guns having elongated nozzles. A set screw 82 locks the rod in adjusted position.

The mechanism may also have a suitable guard 73 carried on the frame outside of the conveyor. A switch 74 carried on the frame controls the motor 28.

The portable spray mechanism has its spray guns directed away from the main conveyor and hence this conveyor is not subjected to accumulations of vagrant or undeposited spray particles. Also this provides ample space for a spray trap or lter booth at the spray span. Another gun can be mounted on each post for longer work. Since the portable mechanism is relatively small a low horse power motor will operate it which will take its power from a lighting line of volts. By providing hanger brackets and hangers spaced three inches apart many variations of sizes of articles may be accommodated by removing hangers to increase spacing therebetween. Valve operators 62 are also removed depending upon or corresponding to the hanger spacing. The con veyor speed may be 5 feet per minute which will enable 1 or 2 workers to handle 1200 to 3000 pieces an hour depending on size.

This invention is presented to fill a need for improvements in a portable spraying device. It is understood that various modifications in structure, as well as changes in mode of operation, assembly, and manner of use, may and often do occur to those skilled in the art, especially after benefiting from lthe teachings of an invention. This disclosure illustrates the preferred means of embodying the invention in useful form.

What is claimed is:

l. A portable spraying mechanism using at least one spray gun and control valve means comprising a frame having corners and of relatively small vertical dimension, motor mounting means carried by the frame, legs of substantial length carried at each corner of the frame providing open vspans therebetween one of which spans is a 'spraying span, conveyor wheels rotatably mounted at the corners of the frame, a second span on one side of the spray span, and a third span on the other side of the spray span providing an unloading span; an endless and flexible conveyor means carried by the wheels and extending around the frame and having straight spans -between the conveyor wheels, uniformly spaced bracket means carried by the conveyor means, a hanger rotatably mounted on each bracket means, a hanger rotator carried by each hanger, spray mounting means carried by the frame at the spraying span and extending downwardly, rotating means carried by the frame at the spraying span and in the saine plane as the hanger rotators and in a position to engage the hanger rotators as they pass, the `conveyor wheels at the spraying span being spaced apart a distance a little greater than the span of the rotating means, the length `of the other spans being approximately the same as the length of the spray span, means to drive a conveyor wheel, valve operating means connected with a ,conveyor wheel and rotatable therewith including a plurality of spaced valve operators carried thereby, and valve mounting means carried adjacent to the valve operating means to receive control valve means for operation by the valve operating means.

2. A portable spraying mechanism as in claim 1 including means mounting the legs on the frame for displacement.

3. A portable spraying mechanism as in claim 1 in which the wheels are sprocket wheels and the conveyor is a chain and in which the means to drive a wheel includes a drive sprocket connected with a sprocket wheel, and the valve operators are carried by the drive sprocket.

4. A portable spraying mechanism as in claim 3 in which the valve operators are upwardly projecting stud References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,905,694 Foley Apr. 25, 1933 1,926,465 Townsend Sept. 12, 1933 1,949,991 Challinor Mar. 6, 1934 1,955,491 Gal-breath et al Apr. 17, 1934 2,345,834 Schweitzer Apr. 4, 1944 

1. A PORTABLE SPRAYING MECHANISM USING AT LEAST ONE SPRAY GUN AND CONTROL VALVE MEANS COMPRISING A FRAME HAVING CORNERS AND OF RELATIVELY SMALL VERTICAL DIMENSION, MOTOR MOUNTING MEANS CARRIED BY THE FRAME, LEGS OF SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH CARRIED AT EACH CORNER OF THE FRAME PROVIDING OPEN SPANS THEREBETWEEN ONE OF WHICH SPANS IS A SPRAYING SPAN, CONVEYOR WHEELS ROTATABLY MOUNTED AT THE CORNERS OF THE FRAME, A SECOND SPAN ON ONE SIDE OF THE SPRAY SPAN, AND A THIRD SPAN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SPRAY SPAN PROVIDING AN UNLOADING SPAN; AN ENDLESS AND FLEXIBLE CONVEYOR MEANS CARRIED BY THE WHEELS AND EXTENDING AROUND THE FRAME AND HAVING STRAIGHT SPANS BETWEEN THE CONVEYOR WHEELS, UNIFORMLY SPACED BRACKET MEANS CARRIED BY THE CONVEYOR MEANS, A HANGER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON EACH BRACKET MEANS, A HANGER ROTATOR CARRIED BY EACH HANGER, SPRAY MOUNTING MEANS CARRIED BY THE FRAME AT THE SPRAYING SPAN AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY, ROTATING MEANS CARRIED BY THE FRAME AT THE SPRAYING SPAN AND IN THE SAME PLANE AS THE HANGER ROTATORS AND IN A POSITION TO ENGAGE THE HANGER ROTATORS AS THEY PASS, THE CONVEYOR WHEELS AT THE SPRAYING SPAN BEING SPACED APART A DISTANCE A LITTLE GREATER THAN THE SPAN OF THE ROTATING MEANS, THE LENGTH OF THE OTHER SPANS BEING APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AS THE LENGTH OF THE SPRAY SPAN, MEANS TO DRIVE A CONVEYOR WHEEL, VALVE OPERATING MEANS CONNECTED WITH A CONVEYOR WHEEL AND ROTATABLE THEREWITH INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SPACED VALVE OPERATORS CARRIED THEREBY, AND VALVE MOUNTING MEANS CARRIED ADJACENT TO THE VALVE OPERATING MEANS TO RECEIVE CONTROL VALVE MEANS FOR OPERATION BY THE VALVE OPERATING MEANS. 